The Biographers

It's finally Akiva's turn to host a series with our oldest biography yet: that of revered painter and inventor, Leonardo da Vinci. After we explore da Vinci’s complicated childhood and education, we set the scene for Leonardo's new home of Florence, Italy -- a city of paint, gold, and blood. After da Vinci is accepted as a student under the legendary painting instructor, Andrea del Verrocchio, we...

It's time to chill out for a minute and take a break from all the studying and learning. In our first ever episode of Office Hours, we kick up our feet and casually chat about anything and everything. We also take a few minutes to go over questions we asked from previous series', and clarify a few things we didn't get quite right. Tune in for a laid-back conversation between our two hosts, Daniel...

In the conclusion episode to our series on Tennessee whiskey maker, Jack Daniel, we bid a fond farewell to the charismatic community leader, and dispel a few myths regarding his death. But what events led up to his ultimate demise, and what did Jack end up doing with his fortune? Maybe most importantly, who was going to take over his legendary distillery, and would it be able to stand the test of...

In part five of our series on legendary distiller, Jack Daniel, we finally get to see the little guy from Tennessee enter the spotlight of worldwide fame. But just as he was starting to bask in the spotlight, the United States began to accelerate in the direction of temperance, largely aided by outspoken activists like Carrie Nation. How did the Jacks Daniel's distillery survive such a turbulent t...

In part four of our series on American Whiskey maker, Jack Daniel, we uncover the true origins of how Jack labelled his product as "Old No. 7," along with a few alternative tall-tales regarding the name. We also get to see Jack stretch his wings and expand his business in a way we have never seen before, in addition to introducing a new product to the marketplace called "The Belle of Lincoln." But...

In part three of our Jack Daniel series, we finally get to see the Boy Distiller become a fully-fledged southern gentleman of bourbon (Tennessee Whiskey, if you want to be precise). But the road ahead would not be as smooth as his whiskey, as the growing Temperance movement in the United States was gaining more and more momentum. How did this affect the young entrepreneur, and would Uncle Sam be a...

In part two of our series on Jack Daniel, we learn all about the ancient art of whiskey making, and how the young Jack Daniel first discovered the craft. From his affable and charming personality, Jack became a popular figure throughout his community, and earned himself the nickname of The Boy Distiller. But as Jack's reputation and ambitions grew, so did his desire to expand his sales territory....

For this series, we're headed to the Tennessee backcountry to talk about an American icon that many of you probably didn't realize was an actual person: Jack Daniel. But how did Jack Daniel come to distill spirits in the mountains of Appalachia? Is it true that he ran away from home at just 6 years old to pursue his dream of making corn liquor, or is that just an old wives' tale? Growing up during...

In our final episode on Abigail Adams, we follow her through the final parts of her life, during which she celebrates new grand (and great grand) children, and mourns the loss of many who were close to her. Sharp-witted until the end, Abigail continued to help those around her - particularly her female heirs - even in her death. Join us as we say farewell to the second First Lady of the United Sta...

In this episode, we see a mature Abigail Adams help thwart what would have been a terrible marriage for her daughter, followed by her graceful transition to grandmother, and the events that lead up to her becoming the First Second Lady of the United States. Maybe most incredible of all, we see Abigail become a pint-sized titan of war bonds and real estate, which ultimately helped secure the future...

In an era where women could not have their own money or property, Abigail and John’s unique and trusting relationship allows Abigail to start an import business, invest in real estate, purchase government bonds, and more. Despite her success, she’s missing John more than ever before… when will their extended absence end? Find out in this episode! (Ep. 014)

In our second episode on Abigail Adams, all is not well in the colonies, as a revolution, rather than tea, was brewing. Abigail and John experienced more periods of separation, due to John’s position in the Continental Congress. The unintended consequence of this? Abigail was entrusted with many family responsibilities that women of the time typically didn't attend to. She also found courage to ex...

For our fourth series, we're heading all the way back to the 1700s to learn about the United States' second First Lady, Abigail Adams. Though you might simply know her as the wife of John Adams, critics called her "Mrs. President," a dig on her influence of her husband's political policy. Long before history would come to know her name, she was simply Abigail Smith, the daughter of a local Ministe...

As we come to the conclusion of Ian Fleming's incredible life, we finally get to see the infamous secret agent, James Bond, take to the big screen. You probably know which actor first portrayed him, but who were Ian's first two choices to play 007, and what provided the final push to go with Sean Connery? Did Ian have anything to do with producing the film adaptation of Dr. No, and what was up wit...

Life finally seems to be settling down for Ian Fleming after so much -- shoot, I spoke too soon: looks like he's actually becoming a father after a 14 year affair with a married woman. Oh, and she wants to get married now that her current husband is divorcing her. If your world got shaken up like this, how would you handle it? Well, Ian Fleming took to obsessively writing his first novel, which ha...

As war rages on throughout the world, Ian Fleming finds himself entrenched ever-deeper into the world of international intelligence. What was Operation Golden Eye, and was it ever officially implemented? Did Operation Mincemeat have anything to do with pies, or was the whole thing just a hoax? Maybe most importantly: what's next for Mr. Fleming now that the Second World War is finally coming to an...

As the world moves closer and closer to the outbreak of the Second World War, Ian Fleming finds himself moving from journalism, to merchant banking, to stock broking... And now international intelligence reporting for the Naval Intelligence Division under Rear Admiral John Godfrey? Seriously? What did he do next, evacuate the MI6 headquarters in Paris during the Nazi invasion? Yup, and that's only...

In part two of our series on James Bond creator, Ian Fleming, we watch the young Ian as he struggles to find his first job, but ultimately landing a position with one of the oldest news organizations in the world as a journalist. What famous racing legend does Ian work alongside while reporting on a treacherous alpine race? Why was he later dispatched to Moscow, and what the heck is the Metro-Vick...

In our third series, we're covering novelist (among many other titles), Ian Fleming, who is most famously known for his creation of the fictional character, James Bond. But did you also know that Ian's father fought in World War I alongside Winston Churchill's brother? Or that both of his great-grandfathers on his mother's side were knights? Or that Ian was forced to drop out of Military school as...

In the conclusion episode of our first series on Mabel Dodge Luhan, we find D.H. Lawrence and his wife, Frieda, being wooed to Taos, New Mexico, by a determined Mabel. What magic does D.H. Lawrence possess that seems to entrance Mabel so devotedly? Who is The Honorable Dorothy Brett, and what the heck is that thing she keeps shoving in her ear? Did Mabel actually succeed in bringing "all the great...

Gone are the days of big city living; Mabel has officially moved to Taos, New Mexico, and has become hypnotized by a Native American man named Tony Lujan. Life has officially begun for Mabel in the American Southwest, and she will soon begin to foster a growing artist's community in Taos, New Mexico. Tune in for episode four of our series on Mabel Dodge Luhan. (Ep. 004)

The world is at war, but Mabel don't care. A quick trip to Pompeii before returning home? Sure! What's next? Co-founding a dance conservatory for underprivileged children, and maybe a third marriage? Yup. Tune in as we continue on with the fascinating life of Mabel Dodge Luhan. (Ep. 003)

Artists, politicians, and revolutionaries? Oh my! As we continue on with the life of Mabel Dodge Luhan, we find Mabel leaving Europe, where she first encountered the Stein siblings, Leo and Gertrude, and coming home to New York. It's here that Mabel will first establish a name for herself by hosting intellectual "Evenings" at her apartment at 53 Fifth Avenue, Manhattan. Tune in to find out what li...

In our first series, we'll be covering the life of an often forgotten character in history named Mabel Dodge Luhan. An American writer, advocate for Native American rights, and patron of the arts, Mabel spent the later half of her life in Taos, New Mexico, where she established something of an art retreat that helped inspire artists like Georgia O’Keefe, Ansel Adams, Willa Cather, Mary Austin, Mar...